This edition of the jukebox features the full first hour steeped in the classic singers from '50s pop. Starting with Rosemary Clooney and Frankie Laine, the playlist includes other of yours and your parents' favs like Peggy Lee, Jo Stafford, Doris Day, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, and even Edith Piaf and Judy Garland.

This edition also includes '60s pop favorites like Dionne Warwick, Rick Nelson, Ray Charles, the Mamas and the Papas, Engelbert Humperdinck and other popular chartmakers.

The crusty author of The Hephaestus Plague and The Man Who Would Not Die opines that, contrary to popular expectations, robotic intelligence might well save the planet. He reflects on lessons learned from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Were the 1980s the worst years for music? NPR listeners seem to think so, according to the results of our poll. When asked to pick the best year for music, nearly everyone skipped the '80s entirely. On this edition of All Songs Considered, host Bob Boilen looks back at the decade of synth pop, hair metal, and hardcore with Stephen Thompson, editor of Song of the Day, Robin Hilton, All Songs Considered producer and host of Second Stage, and Carrie Brownstein, writer for the Monitor Mix blog.
More info: (Click on the "For Stations" tab for set list and timing cues.)
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If you're not an NPR member station, contact programservices@npr.org

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MN Reads talks with Kate Roberts, co-author (with Adam Scher) of Toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s (Minnesota Historical Society Press), a snapshot of the rhythms of American life during these times through the lens of 45 toys from the same time period. The book is published concurrent with an exhibit at the Minnesota Historical Society.

MN Reads talks with Kate Roberts, co-author (with Adam Scher) of Toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s (Minnesota Historical Society Press), a snapshot of the rhythms of American life during these times through the lens of 45 toys from the same time period. The book is published concurrent with an exhibit at the Minnesota Historical Society.

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Dave Kenney talks to KUMD about his book “Minnesota in the ‘70s." The 1970s were more than big hair, mirror balls, and leisure suits. Minnesota transitioned merely a vague, snow-covered outpost in the American consciousness to a state of presidential candidates, grassroots activism, civic engagement, environmental awareness, and Mary Tyler Moore.

Dave Kenney talks to KUMD about his book “Minnesota in the ‘70s." The 1970s were more than big hair, mirror balls, and leisure suits. Minnesota transitioned merely a vague, snow-covered outpost in the American consciousness to a state of presidential candidates, grassroots activism, civic engagement, environmental awareness, and Mary Tyler Moore.

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Plucked from anonymity—Hand was a folk-rock band in the ‘70s. They made one album that became a collectors’ item among music enthusiasts of that era. Their LP’s been written about, blogged about, and sought after in Europe and the United States, but the band members had no idea... until one of them received an email 40 years later.

This is a story about a surprising journey that would have been virtually impossible without modern technology. WNPR Producer Lori Mack shares the tale of a revived musical career in company with high-school musicians, including the granddaughter of Dave Brubeck.

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This year marks our 8th anniversary of our annual Cover Song special. This time we celebrate with re-invented versions of 80s classics originally performed by icons like James Taylor, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran and more.

This year marks our 8th anniversary of our annual Cover Song special. This time we celebrate with re-invented versions of 80s classics originally performed by icons like James Taylor, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran and more.

Toys of the 50's, 60's, & 70's covers some of the most iconic toys of all time and also discusses how they were created and thier cultural legacy. The book also features stories of the kids who played with the toys way back and the impact they had on their lives.

The following was recorded June 24, 2014 at the Thief River Falls public library in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

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A Hungarian Princess Leia, a six foot long Millenium Falcon, and over 13,000 other Star Wars toys live in Stephen Atkinson's home turned Museum. Some revel in Pop Culture. Others seem to live it. Andrew Hiller visits three venues that explore and revel everything from Yoda and Mad Magazine to decoder rings to 19th century wind-ups. Included is a 6:34 feature and a shorter 2 minute news breakout.

It's a romp through the past and a nostalgic trip down memory lane. For others, it's just junk cluttering up a room or attic, but the modern myth of man doesn't belong to Gods, but heroes. From Superman to Batman, Harry Potter to Yoda there is something within us that resonates with these characters who do the impossible. And for many, these favorite characters are all but impossible to leave behind. Andrew Hiller takes us to three venues that embrace collectables and revel in the stuff of yore whether it's a Roy Roger's cap gun, the first issue of Action Comics, or a barrel filled with thousands of plastic R2D2's.

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The perfect New Year's mixtape, complete with rarities, standards, surprises, blatant nostalgia, sincere resolutions, unashamed hope, and serious parties! From the Great Depression to the Great Recession, New Year's music from all genres for all tastes.

Professor Mikey is off on another holiday musical expedition, this time to discover the heart of everybody's favorite midnight party. What is a Lang Syne? And how Auld is it? What do Bing Crosby, Death Cab for Cutie, and Blind Lemon Jefferson have in common? Do New Year's Resolutions really work? Is the best New Year's duet of all time sung by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas? And what's Carl Sagan doing in here? These and other timely questions are answered in this full hour celebration of New Year's music. Old blues classics like Smokey Hogg's "New Year's Eve Blues" from 1948, a New Year's Eve 1970 appearance by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, an absolute wacko resolution romp with Spike Jones and the City Slickers and much much more. The genres melt into each other, the human condition gets a good going over, and we all resolve to be better next year!

The poetry of children in Birmingham, Alabama, inspired a recent classical music piece titled “Dream, Child. Hope.” It was composed by Adolphus Hailstork, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Hailstork has written music for a number of prestigious ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony. But his influences sometimes come from unlikely places.

Also featured: Food tins with discriminatory logos. Toys that caricature African Americans. Slave shackles and Klan robes. These artifacts of slavery and its aftermath have drawn the attention of entertainers like Oprah Winfrey, Whoopie Goldberg, and Bill Cosby, who have become collectors of racist ephemera. Joining their ranks are two collectors, who use their extensive collection to educate people about racism in America.

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You may know Bruce Lee as a martial artist legend who died at the young age of 32 but there is much more to his story. Lee’s daughter, Shannon, chairs the Bruce Lee Foundation and is CEO of Bruce Lee Entertainment. Shannon describes her father as a constant student of movement and life.

Elton John, Bernie Taupin and producer Gus Dudgeon talk about the making of the iconic album that cemented Elton John's superstar status in the U.S.

This 40th anniversary super deluxe box set includes the original album remastered, a CD of all-new cover versions by contemporary artists personally chosen by Elton with additional tracks and B-sides, the full LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH '73 concert on two CDs, and a DVD of Bryan Forbes' 1973 film ELTON JOHN AND BERNIE TAUPIN SAY GOODBYE TO NORMA JEAN AND OTHER THINGS. In addition to the discs, the box also contains a 100-page illustrated hardback book packed with rare photos, memorabilia and a new essay containing interviews with Elton John and Bernie Taupin.